The Matter Lies Before the Eyes of All
by RoseMuse
Summary: Various Ed/Winry drabbles from the manga/Brotherhood. A mix of in-story/post-story.
1. Polish

_So! I found that I could not stop writing Ed/Winry drabbles and I decided to compile them all here. General T rating, though there may be one or two M rated drabbles as well. (I'll label them as such.) A mix of settings - all manga/Brotherhood. Some within the storyline and some post-manga. I base the dates on the Official Guide and other dates throughout the story._

_I wrote a few of them months ago, so there may be some mistakes here and there._

_I'll try to space out my posts, as well - I don't want to spam drabbles. ^^;_

_This piece is sort of a continuation from an older drabble - Chapter 5 of 'Never Regret Thy Fall'._

_Reviews are always welcome!_

* * *

><p><em>(1917)<em>

All of the emotions that she'd bottled up were suddenly threatening to spill out.

Winry's fingers tightened upon the box and she sighed. "Your sense of propriety is always so impeccable, Ed." She wasn't sure if she was happy or upset at his foolishness - though the former seemed to be winning.

"Er. Sorry." Ed was glaring at the table a bit dejectedly, now. "Anyway. The question still stands from that time."

"Idiot." Winry said softly. She ran a finger, polishing, along the smooth surface of the silver. It wasn't anything fancy, (surprisingly, considering Ed's taste - or, rather, lack of taste.) It was just a simple band, but she really wouldn't have wanted anything else.

She slowly slipped it on.

"What question? I thought I'd already answered it." Winry replied. "All of my life, right?" She blushed, "Or, at least, everything I can give."

He looked back up at her with such an expression of astonishment that she laughed - and then tackled him with a hug. And a kiss - which seemed to shock him momentarily, but he then kissed her back. Almost desperately - as if trying to make up for all the time he'd been gone.

"Winry… Will you marry me?" Ed asked, trying to catch his breath. "I'd, uh… y'know, get down on one knee, but it's not exactly working at the moment." He added dryly.

Winry stared. She hadn't really expected him to just out and _say it_. She felt her heart skip, and she suppressed the sudden odd urge to giggle, "You don't have to ask me twice! Y-yes. Of course I will, Ed-" She'd barely finished her sentence when his lips were on hers once more.

After a moment, she drew away and buried her face in his shirt. "Ed… You won't be leaving again soon, will you?"

Ed patted the top of her head, "I… I'll stay for a while. There's so much work I haven't finished yet and places I still have to visit. I've really missed you a lot, though, Win."

"And I've missed you. So much. I love you." Winry murmured.

"I love you, too." Ed's face was now practically fuchsia. "Come with me?" He asked.

Winry happily wrapped her arms around him tightly, "Oh, Ed, I would love to - at least for a little while - I have work to do, too, you know."

"I know." Ed grinned.

They resumed their kissing, and it went on for quite a while until they were both interrupted by a loud cough.

Pinako stood behind them with a slightly bored expression. "Coffee's ready. And good grief, it's about time, you two."


	2. 4 am

_(1917)_

Their breathing is slowing and they are finally, wearily drifting off to sleep. Winry's hair is trapped beneath his arm and she shifts as he softly apologizes - not for the first time that night. She readily smiles, though, and tells him to "Shut up." and brushes his messy bangs away from his face with her fingers.

"Good night, Ed.", she says, snuggling close. "Good night, Win." Ed replies contentedly and his eyes slowly close.

The alarm clock upon the nightstand ticks away and she settles closer, skin against skin and a thin summertime sheet.

"You'd better not hog the covers, Ed." She mumbles dozily and he chuckles.


	3. Sky

On the third day of October each year, they would walk through the yellowing grasses up the old hill. Rusted metal, a crumbling stone foundation, a long-dead tree and a nameless grave.

And they would simply sit for a while in the quiet chill as the sun set in the cloudless sky.


	4. Passion

_Just some ridiculous fluff._

* * *

><p><em>(1916)<em>

He was far too awkwardly gentle with her, sometimes. When he kissed her, it was almost as though he expected her to shatter into tiny pieces, his lips carefully moving against hers, his hands resting lightly upon her shoulders…

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it. Kissing Ed was not something Winry could have imagined happening at all, several years earlier. Every time they did, her heart leapt and she was reminded of just how much she loved him and it was _wonderful_… but, it wasn't quite enough.

One night, they had been arguing over something. Winry wasn't quite sure as to how the argument had started in the first place; it had quickly devolved into nitpicking, name-calling and glaring at one another. She and Ed both had sharp tempers - as much as she disliked to admit that about herself.

They sat at opposite ends of the room, now, trying to ignore one another. Al was asleep upstairs and Granny was busily repairing automail in the workroom.

Winry was attempting to focus on writing out a list of supplies to pick up for the next month while Ed sulked in the corner over one of his alchemy books.

She glowered at him over the list, hair at the back of her neck prickling as he noisily flipped a page, paper scraping against paper. He was totally doing it on purpose and she wanted nothing more than to throw her pencil at him.

Instead, she stood and stomped over to where he sat on the couch and lifted the book from his grasp. "Look, I've got to finish this list. Shut up and stop being so immature!"

"Hey!" He yelped, grabbing for the book, "Now you've made me lose the page I was on!"

"So what?" Winry frowned down at him, "Serves you right for being a jerk and making unnecessary noise!"

"If it bothers you so much then why don't you leave the room?" Ed snorted.

Winry ground her teeth together, "I was here first!"

He stood, crossing his arms and looming over her, "I distinctly recall being the first person in here."

"I was only out of the room for a second. I had to go find something to write with, you big dummy." She continued, moving closer to him and poking him in the chest.

It was then that she noticed that their argument was quickly spiraling into the ridiculous. Their noses were inches apart, and she no longer felt quite as angry as she could have been.

Ed seemed to be struggling with a retort, but, instead, met her lips as she leaned up to kiss him.

They sank to the couch cushions. After a moment, Ed seemed to be pulling away, but she only kissed him back with more force. She placed her hands upon his face.

He did pull away, but only for a moment, studying her with hooded eyes, breathing hard, before placing his mouth upon hers, again.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, drawing him farther down, and he slipped his hands beneath her waist.

The warmth and weight of him atop her - she had never quite felt anything like it before and she shivered slightly in elation. She broke away from him briefly to kiss along his neck, nipping at him, and he gasped in surprise.

It wasn't long before they resumed where they had left off and he returned the favor by sliding his tongue between her lips, sweeping against her own tongue…

Winry smiled against his mouth… How could it have taken them so long to do something like this?

They didn't allow themselves to get too carried away, however, and the two of them soon lay side by side on the couch, cuddling close.

"That was some kiss." Winry sighed.

Ed was running his fingers through her hair, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? That… you, uh, wanted this sort of thing, I mean?"

"I could ask you the same, Ed." She raised a brow pointedly.

He chuckled, "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"We really should try this thing more often, though." Winry smirked.

"Guh… Um." Ed sputtered, face flushed, "Just… as long as you don't give me any more hickeys." He rubbed at the spot on his neck uncomfortably.

"Can't make any guarantees." Winry giggled against his throat, tilting her head to kiss him once more.


	5. Storm

_(1915)_

Thunder grumbled loudly overhead, followed in quick succession by flickers of lightning through the windows.

There was absolutely no way Winry could sleep through it all. She rose from bed and shuffled over to turn on her light switch, which, after a few attempts, failed to work. She muttered a curse under her breath. It seemed the power had gone out.

She then made the decision to go downstairs in search of a lantern… And perhaps she could get in some reading until the storm cleared up.

Making her way out into the hall, she noticed that the doors to Al and Eds' rooms were ajar. They hadn't been home very long and it was still a bit odd to think of those rooms as occupied, now.

Al was in a deep sleep. (How he managed to do so with all the racket was beyond her.) Ed, however… She could make out his outline near the window, sitting in a chair.

She knocked faintly upon his door and he started, then sighed, half in relief and half in what appeared to be pain, his mouth set in a thin line.

"Are you all right, Ed?" She asked worriedly, joining him at the window.

"It's just the storm." He grimaced. "Sometimes my leg acts up a little with bad weather. My arm also used to, so it's really not all that bad, now." He attempted to brush it off with a smile, waving his right hand, now bones and muscle and skin.

Winry, however, frowned, "I still wish there was a way I could make it more comfortable, though. I'm sorry." She quickly reviewed everything within her mind concerning pain associated with limb loss and nerve endings. Loosening the port simply for comfort could cause damage to the automail and infection in some people… There really wasn't a lot she could do.

Ed shrugged, "It's not your fault. You do a pretty amazing job of taking care of my automail, already."

Straight-out complementing her like that… He'd really have to be hurting.

"I'll be right back." Winry said, turning to leave the room and a befuddled Ed behind.

She returned a short while later with a dimly glowing kerosene lamp, a steaming kettle, a pan, and a few small towels. "Come on, Ed, get up and over to the bed."

Setting down her load, she grabbed him by the arm and helped him limp over to his mattress.

Pouring hot water into the pan from the kettle, she soaked a towel in it and, wringing away the excess water, carefully set it around Ed's leg where the metal met skin.

"That should relieve some of the pain." She said.

"Y… yeah. It's helping a lot!" Ed smiled, "Thanks, Winry."

Winry found herself flushing. "Well, if there's anything else that you need, just let me know! I'll probably be awake for a while until things clear up."

Turning to leave, she felt a hand suddenly grab her wrist.

"I guess you could stay. For a little while" Ed said.

"Okay." She blinked in surprise - her heart jolting. "Just for a little while, then."

She sat at the other side of the bed, attempting to avoid jostling his leg too much. They were silent for a while, listening to the thunder and the rain pattering upon the roof and window. Another flash of lightning illuminated the room and she couldn't help but notice the angle of his jaw and those bright amber eyes that caught her own for a second before quickly pulling away.

Winry cleared her throat. "Uh. I forgot to thank you earlier for helping Granny pick up supplies in town."

"Oh. No problem." Ed shrugged, "I was pretty certain it was going to rain, so I suggested we go earlier."

"Well, it's nice having more people around to help out." Winry went on. "Having you two home again has been pretty nice, as well… without you always busily running off somewhere."

Her worried, unspoken question hung in the air for a moment before Ed sighed.

"Al and I… we haven't really planned on going anywhere, soon. Don't worry."

"That's good to know." Winry said, though she still couldn't help but wonder how long that would be.

She must have looked upset, because, as if in response, Ed added, "Er. If we do go anywhere, it'll probably be at least a year or so from now."

"A-a year? At least?" Winry asked with surprise. That was longer than she'd expected.

"Yeah." He replied. "Al is still recovering, and, frankly, we don't really have anywhere else to go or much else to do, right now. At least, not yet. Besides that, I haven't ever really just given myself more time to relax and study. Although I can't put it into practice, anymore, there are some more things I'd like to learn about alchemy."

"Geek." Winry huffed, though she couldn't help but smile, the cloud of worry lifting from her mind. She nudged his arm with her elbow. "Don't plan on doing too much relaxing, though. We could definitely use your help around here."

"Jeez. I'll never get a moment's rest with you automail freaks." He feigned sulking.

"Ed?" She asked hesitantly after a quiet moment.

"What?"

"Do you… Do you ever regret giving up alchemy? You won't be able to go back to the same life, you know." She glanced over at him.

He sighed and smiled, looking out the window and then back at her. "When it comes down to it… I don't regret it one bit. I'm much happier without the ability."

He seemed truly content. Winry wasn't quite sure how to respond, but she nodded, glad at hearing his feelings on it.

She replaced the towel with a new, warm one. The thunder was beginning to fade, though the rain hadn't relented much.

When she sat down, again, she was suddenly shocked when Ed drew her close and wrapped his arms around her.

For a moment, she remained in a stunned silence, then slowly returned his embrace. He was all broad shoulders and warmth and she could feel his voice, resonating, as he murmured a, "Thank you."

As they parted, she felt a blush flooding across her cheeks, "For what?"

Ed shrugged with a frown, "For… everything. I guess. Just - for everything that you do. Being there for me and Al. It really means a lot."

"You're welcome." Winry said quietly, "You brothers are family to me, you know."

Ed looked as though he was about to say more, but he refrained, merely nodding.

Soon, their conversation turned to more mundane things - the new shops going up in town and the rumor that the Holtzman farm had a (totally suspicious) two-headed goat and Winry's plans to visit Rush Valley in another week or two…

Winry yawned, shifting closer, and soon her head was slipping down his shoulder. Ed was already asleep, his head resting against hers.

Her own eyes began to drift shut… and she really didn't want to wake him, so she allowed sleep to engulf her.

It was the chirping of birds that woke her, later, and the early morning sunlight drifting into the room.

She blinked a bit groggily at the unfamiliarity of her surroundings before remembering how she had dozed off. Ed was still sound asleep and warm beside her, breathing soft and even. For some reason, Winry couldn't bring herself to pull her gaze away. He looked so calm and content - not to mention incredibly _handsome_. She felt her cheeks heat at recalling the hug. He'd grown up (both literally and figuratively) so much from the short, annoying, loud-mouthed boy down the road. …In some ways, at least.

He stirred, his eyes slowly opening, focusing upon her, and he gave her an utterly goofy, sleepy smile - which instantly made her stomach feel funny.

"Morning." Ed said.

"Hey." Winry fervently searched for something more to say, "How's your leg?"

He raised a brow, "Now that the storm's gone… considerably better. Obviously."

"Right." Winry's cheeks grew hotter, "Well," she huffed, "If you're feeling so much better, maybe you should help out with breakfast."

Ed grumbled something unintelligible into his pillow but agreed after a moment. (Though she practically had to yank him out of bed, anyway.)

Winry drew him by the arm out into the hall where they suddenly met Al, making his own way downstairs.

The younger boy gave them an odd look, then grinned at them. "So… What've you two been up to?" He asked.

With their bed-head and rumpled clothing… it was all too easy to jump to the worst conclusion.

"What do you mean, "up to"?" Ed blustered, eyes bulging, "We were just talking!"

"I was doing a little maintenance work on his automail." Winry quickly said at the same time.

"What's so wrong with talking?" Ed practically shouted.

"Uh. Okay." Al said, slightly taken aback. He swiftly, and wisely, changed the subject. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Why don't you ask Ed?" Winry said sweetly. Ed shot her a flat look, but he babbled on anyway to fill the silence.

As they hurried down the stairs, Winry just _knew_ Al was smirking behind their backs.


	6. Maintenance

_(1917) (Rated M)_

Late summer afternoons in Rush Valley always tended to drag on, locusts buzzing in the hot air - void of any cooling breeze. The electric fan in the back room drowned them out with its own continual buzz, however.

Winry was fussing over his automail. Again. They had just barely returned from their trip and she'd already discovered there was something wrong with the ankle joint. Her hair was sticking to her neck from the heat - and she wore her usual work gear and coveralls, tied at the waist. In Ed's opinion, this was probably when she was at her most beautiful.

"Ed? Are you even listening to me?" Winry's clear blue eyes met his, and he nodded, broken from his train of thought.

"Er. Yeah." He had been. Sort of. "Something about the joints and the diarthrosis being thrown off…"

He'd hardly had time to finish speaking when she was suddenly kissing him. She smelled faintly of sweat and grease, and he almost felt like melting into the table.

"I'm listening." Ed said as attentively as he could when they broke apart.

Winry was blushing and he felt his own face heat up. "I don't have anything scheduled for today… Maybe we could…" She left the question unsaid and sat next to him.

"What? Here?" Ed spluttered after a moment as he understood the implication, staring at her, "I-it doesn't seem like a good idea on this table. Your customers probably wouldn't appreciate that." It wasn't that he didn't want to. It was just… awkward.

His gaze was instantly drawn to her bare shoulders as she shrugged, "What they don't know won't hurt them." She scooted closer to him.

This time he _did _melt when she kissed him again, wrapping his arms around her as she pushed him back - and he promptly hit his head against the wall with a loud thump.

Jerking back, Winry gasped and blushed even more profusely, "Oh, jeez, Ed! Are you all right?"

"Ugh. Damn. I'm fine, don't worry. It's just a cramped space." He assured her.

Although he did wince somewhat at the pain, he couldn't help but laugh at her expression, "You know, you're kinda cute when you're flustered."

Her response of "Shut up.", was stifled, however, as he kissed along her neck and jaw line to her ear, nibbling at her earlobe - adorned with that overabundance of earrings. Winry's exhaled breath fluttered at his neck.

Without warning, she tugged at the towel around his waist - he was only in his boxers beneath that - and he grabbed at it, startled. "Uh, Winry, wait!"

"You're kind of cute when you're flustered, too, you know." She laughed, managing to liberate it from his death grip and toss it aside. However, she then raised her brow, noting what was underneath, "Whoo, already?" Ed's face flushed with embarrassment.

In a moment she was sitting atop him, still clothed, her legs either side of his hips. It only served to make his situation all the more agonizing. Her mouth met his, her tongue hot against his tongue, their breathing quickening. His fingers swept up her bare torso and beneath her top to her breasts. She made a slight sound of surprise, but continued kissing him, her breath catching in her throat every now and then at the sensations. His lungs were burning from the lack of air, her chest was heaving, and they broke apart momentarily - only to meet again a second later.

It was about this time that he began to rock against her, but she pulled back and stopped him with a frown, squeezing her knees into his sides. Slowly, Winry unzipped her coveralls the rest of the way. Taking one of his hands, she leaned close, murmuring, "Stop being so impatient, Ed." She guided his hand under the waistline of her clothing and underclothing to the warmth between her thighs. It wasn't long before Winry was gasping as she clutched at his shoulders, pushing at him as he worked. After a time, she finally cried out and collapsed against him, shuddering until her last spasms faded.

For a while they rested, both steadying their breathing. Ed held Winry close and she lazily kissed her way up his bare chest and then to his mouth, smiling, "Mmm. You know, you're really improving at that." Her arms sneakily wound around his shoulders and she removed the tie from his hair.

It was impossible to take any more. He kicked off his boxers and she followed suit, pulling off her own clothing and tossing it aside in a pile on the floor.

They moved with a careful sort of urgency, both desperate but wanting to make it last as long as they could, drawing out their movements in the sleepy afternoon heat.

Her bare thighs were warm and steady, gradually anchoring themselves at his waist, which involuntarily rose up to meet her. The motion of their bodies soon matching each other.

Winry sighed his name - her voice breaking off abruptly at the end when he picked up his pace, gripping her hips. He grinned at catching her off guard, but she then met his eyes, smirking, and kissed him so thoroughly that he felt lightheaded afterwards. Her fingers wove through his loose hair and she wrapped her legs more closely around his middle.

Their mischievous teasing was replaced by increasing fervor, though, as they clumsily switched positions in the narrow space. Pressed closely together, Winry's nails dug into Ed's shoulder blades, rubbing against the scar tissue there, soft noises emitting from their throats with the rhythm of each intensifying stroke.

At last, she hit her peak, convulsing beneath him and he swiftly followed after her.

They lay in a dazed tangle of limbs, panting and tightly embracing, the breeze from the fan cooling their sweaty skin. Ed rolled over to Winry's side and she nestled her head beneath his chin while they cuddled tiredly.

And then the telephone next to the table rang.

Winry scrambled to her feet to grab the phone, while Ed stumbled from the opposite side of the table in a panic - and then collapsed with a loud clatter and copious swearing. He'd forgotten that Winry had removed the screws from his leg's ankle joint.

She kept the conversation quite brief, breathing a sigh of relief after she had hung up.

"You didn't have to answer it, you know." Ed grumbled from the floor.

Winry helped him up, huffing, "Well, I do need the business… And I was too surprised to think of doing anything else at the moment. Luckily the call wasn't, uh, earlier." She pecked his cheek, "Sorry about the automail."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just try to get it fixed up, now." He sheepishly combed a hand through his disheveled hair.

"I can do something about that." Winry smiled deviously at him. "We still have the rest of the afternoon free for maintenance, after all." She disconnected the phone cord.

"No objections, here." Ed wrapped his arms around her and she kissed his nose affectionately. "'Maintenance', huh? I wouldn't mind setting up some more afternoon appointments."


	7. Gate

_Set directly after the brothers' failed transmutation._

* * *

><p>Ed feverishly mumbled nonsensical things about gates and eyes watching him and called for Al and his mother. The boy quieted down considerably with the addition of some morphine.<p>

Al sat motionlessly in the corner, helmeted head buried in his arms. He refused to say much at all, now - though earlier he had kept repeating that "everything had gone wrong", and had apologized over and over and over, shoulders rattling as though racked with sobs. Now, he just seemed to be in a numb state of shock.

She had no idea what to make of the armor itself - or the hastily-scrawled alchemical circle within its hollow depths - all she knew was that it was somehow Al, and, at the same time, clearly _not_ him. Where was his body? Al had vaguely mentioned that it was 'gone'. Was it back at their house? She hadn't had the time to think on anything other than assisting with the emergency surgery - and she was rather glad for it as her thoughts progressed toward very dark places.

Winry shook her head, focusing. Thankfully, Ed was out of danger, for now - though he had nearly died from the blood loss. She had only seen her grandmother looking this grim once, before - when they had received the phone call about her parents two years ago.

Gran was cleaning the instruments while Winry removed the blood-stained top sheet from the bed, intending to replace it with a new one, when Ed rasped out, so softly that she barely heard it:

"Winry?"

She hurried over to his side, gasping, as if noticing for the first time the actual extent of what had happened to him - the stump of his leg and empty shoulder swathed in bandages. All she felt like doing was crying, now, but she hesitantly, gently grasped his left hand, carefully avoiding the catheter.

"I'm right here."

"Alphonse?"

"He's… alive."

He sighed, falling silent once more, though his fingers still curled around hers.

Maybe the brothers would tell them in full, later, about what had happened. All that mattered to Winry right now was that they were, at least, alive.

They were alive.


	8. The Beginning

_Set toward the end of the Briggs arc in Baschool._

* * *

><p>He didn't exactly know where the beginning was. Ed couldn't possibly remember when he'd met her. (He'd known her longer than Al, even, due to them both being the same age.) Winry had always been there, even in his earliest, haziest memories.<p>

When he'd fallen head over heels for her was also pretty indistinct. (Although it was horribly difficult for him to so casually admit that to himself.) It seemed that, although she was a constant in his life, they'd just, somehow, become closer and closer.

It was impossible for Ed to list all of the reasons as to why, or he'd be standing there for the rest of the day. They really couldn't afford to be distracted by anything, right now.

They were plunging headfirst into something vastly frightening and dangerous, and, though he hated it, this was the only path to take. Throughout it all, she had barely shown a sign of flinching, but it was what he knew lay beneath that calm mask that made him upset. He shouldn't have dragged her into this.

However, she continued moving forward. And she was far stronger than he was.

The icy wind picked up outside, bringing along with it the noise of soldiers approaching along the abandoned streets of Baschool.

Winry's gloved hands closed around the cold joints of his own and then she was gone.

Ed made his way back outside, pocketing the silver ornaments she'd left with him. He decided then and there that, if he could, after all of this, he would want to spend the rest of his life with her, too.


	9. You and Me

_(1915) Sorry this piece is a bit rough and all over the place. :\ Sometimes I'm not quite satisfied with a chapter at all, but I don't quite know what else to do with it so I'll end up posting it anyway?_

* * *

><p>Their second (sort of) kiss occurred a few days after the first. (Though the time between both had been filled with awkward silences and nagging questions about what was wrong from both Granny and Al.)<p>

It was early morning and Winry had pulled another all-nighter working. She was just putting the finishing touches on an arm-piece of automail when Ed wandered by the workroom.

Nervously, she called out after him.

"Ed?"

He froze in his tracks and she had to call him once more before he moved again, entering the room.

"Yeah? What is it?" He asked stiffly.

She felt like her face was aflame, but she continued. Calmly. "I was wondering if you would let Gran know I'm finished." She jabbed a thumb at the automail. "I think I'm just going to go upstairs and collapse for a while."

"'Kay." Ed nodded. "You really ought to take better care of yourself, you know. These all-nighters are going to take a toll if you don't get enough rest."

"Says the guy who was always breaking his automail and getting into fights." Winry retorted grumpily, then added a bit regretfully, her voice softening, "I'll try, though. Um. Thanks."

They remained silent for a brief time before Ed went on, "So. Is there anything else I can help with?"

"Uh. Well…" Finally, in frustration, Winry slammed her fists down on the workbench and stood. Ed looked rather startled - and appeared even more so when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and sealed her lips upon his. When she had pushed aside the initial sensation of her heart feeling ready to burst free from her chest, she realized that he was kissing her back.

After a moment, Winry parted from him. "We'd… We'd probably better stop. Just in case someone sees." She said breathlessly.

"R-right." Ed agreed, just as out of breath.

He seemed as though he was about to leave, when Winry grasped his hand.

"Ed?"

He stared at her.

"I just need to know. What are we going to do about… whatever _this thing _is between us?"

"I don't know." Ed sighed, and it sounded like he honestly meant it. "What do you think we should do?"

"I wish I knew. Are we together or just taking things slowly, or still friends or more than friends… I mean, we've always been more than friends, but…" Winry rambled on.

"Look, Winry." Ed scuffed a slippered foot on the concrete floor, "What I said I few days ago… I…" He seemed to be stumbling over his words, "I, um, I really meant it. Isn't that enough for right now?"

"But, what about a few months from now, or a year from now? Things… things might move forward more." Winry crossed her arms, attempting to soothe her bubbling temper amid the mass of other emotions within herself. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'd like more. I mean-" She closed her eyes, wishing she could form a coherent sentence, "I'd like something solid. Something definite. A relationship."

"A-a… relationship?" Ed repeated. He looked vaguely green.

"Yeah." Winry met his eyes, "I wouldn't mind, uh, being your girlfriend all that much. I suppose."

"G-g-girlfriend?" Ed practically squeaked. "What?"

"I'd understand if you wouldn't want to - it seems like you'd rather have things stay the same…" Winry couldn't quite finish her sentence and was ready to storm off, but Ed stopped her.

"Winry, wait." He was looking at her. Almost bashfully. "I didn't mean that at all. It's just me. I'm horrible at this sort of thing. _Really_ horrible."

"Oh? I hadn't noticed." Winry snorted sarcastically.

Ed scrubbed a hand through his hair, (which did nothing to help abate the fluttering in her stomach. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect.) "Aaagh! I want to stay friends with you, but…" He raised the level of his voice before she could walk away again. "BUT, _I also want more_. Something more than that. I guess. I just have no idea of what all of this is or what we should even be called and it's weird enough for me to be talking to you about this out loud right now, but I'm okay with doing this for y-you, er, I mean, uh, us. I mean, I've considered it for a while, now, too, and I've always… Well, not _always_… Um. Anyway. It's okay. You being my… my g… girlfr-" He looked like he was practically choking on his words. Ed glared at her, suddenly angry, "Look, if you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend, then _fine_! This is a ridiculous conversation…"

Winry giggled and his scowl deepened. She threw her arms around him and he hesitantly hugged her back.

"Thank you, Ed. Um. Y'know…" she added, "it's not like we have to make this official right away. I mean, this is just between you and me, right now."

"Yeah, that's true." He nodded.

"It's not like we have to let Al and Granny know or anything." She said.

"…They'll most likely find out eventually." Ed grimaced.

"Oh, dammit, they already know, don't they?" Winry asked worriedly.

"Ugh. Most likely. But… but we can still go on and act like there's nothing actually going on. Uh. That is to say… Not that there are things going on… y'know… between us. That's not what I was implying. Ugh. I- I think I need to go get a little more sleep in."

"M-me too!" Winry blustered at hearing his words, "I mean… I should _actually _get some sleep now because I'm clearly not thinking properly… with this sleep deprivation."

They both silently left the room.

(Though they did walk hand-in-hand up the stairs.)


	10. Kisses

_After the Briggs arc. The winter of 1914-1915 before the Promised Day._

* * *

><p>It was snowing, and the flakes were catching in her hair, melting rapidly. "You should come home, Ed." She was saying, and her eyes were sad. So sad that he couldn't bear to look at them because he couldn't stand to see her like that - it was all his fault, and he hated being the agent of that sadness.<p>

"I'm sorry, Winry. Don't… don't cry, all right?" He muttered.

"I know. I promised." He felt a gloved hand upon his own and he met her eyes again. She tried to smile slightly. "Remember? Only tears of joy."

His side ached and his lungs stung as she stepped forward and placed her soft lips upon his own, and she was so warm… He soon lost himself in the warmth.

"Hey, kid. Up and at 'em." Ed heard her voice saying and his eyes suddenly shot open.

He was awake. In an unfamiliar little room on a creaky, narrow bed. Two tall, hefty men sat in chairs next to him, faces partly shadowed in the dim light, but still distinctly recognizable. (Though they had exchanged their military uniforms for civvies.)

"Hey, Mr. Lion, Mr. Gorilla." He croaked with a small grin, memories returning - of falling down the collapsing mine shaft and narrowly surviving impalement. His automail hand (thankfully still intact) strayed to his left side and he grimaced. It still hurt like the blazes. It felt like he had broken a leg and perhaps a few ribs, too. But he was alive, at least. Even if he felt like he had been hit and run over by a truck. Repeatedly.

The man nearest to him bristled, "We lugged your sorry ass all this way and you give us that? It's Darius. And he's Heinkel." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the bespectacled Heinkel. "And you would do well to keep that confidential, you got it? We don't want everyone knowing about… us. Kimblee could be after us for all we know. The MP's are definitely out there searching, too, and we've been lucky to not have any run-ins with them. Yet."

"Yeah yeah, sure." Ed waved a hand, attempting to sit up. He then winced. He felt too exhausted and in pain to really worry over much. "Anyway. Where the hell are we?"

"Found a local doctor who agreed to keep things on the down-low." Heinkel said. "He's pretty damn good at what he does - you're looking better already."

"That's good to know." Ed sighed, flopping back down into his pillows. "And, uh, thanks. I'd really be dead if it hadn't been for you two." He said quietly. "By the way…" He narrowed his eyes at the pair, suspicion growing, "…Just what made this doctor agree to keeping things hushed up?"

Darius grinned, (a very toothy, frightening grin), "Leverage. Naturally."

"You're a State Alchemist, right?" Heinkel explained. "You probably have a pretty nice sum in funds and research grants. If Kimblee is anything to go by."

Ed sat bolt-upright, ignoring the stabbing sharpness beneath his ribs, "You… dirty, treacherous assholes! I have half a mind to kick your asses right here!" He threw off the sheets, wavering slightly in place, "COME ON. I'LL TAKE YOU BOTH ON RIGHT NOW!"

"You're definitely a tough one, kid." Darius snorted, "But you'd totally lose against us in the condition you're in."

"Don't call me kid!" Ed growled.

"Anyway. We've just found some leverage of our own." The two looked positively evil.

"And what's that?" Ed asked warily.

"What was all that mumbling during your sleep? Sweet on some girl, Fullmetal? What was her name, now…" Heinkel scratched at his chin.

Ed seemed to be choking on nothing but air for a good long moment. "WHAT GIRL?" He went a fiery red, swiftly descending into purple. "FINE. FINE! OKAY? I'LL PAY." He forced himself to relax, wincing once again. Perhaps he had overexerted himself a bit, there. "Anyway. It's my fault I got into this mess and I'll have to pay for it."

He shot death glares at them. "Seriously, though. I think some of Kimblee's evilness must have rubbed off on you guys."

"It's possible."

"Probably."

They both shrugged.


	11. Color

They spent the soft hours before dawn away from the cool air, intertwined beneath sheets. Slowly, quietly memorizing the goose bumps of their skin, the freckles dotting her face, his messy hair, scars and lazy kissing in the pale light. Hoping, as the heat grew between their bodies, that the sun would never rise.


	12. Float

_(1917)_

Crickets chirped in the warm air and a breeze stirred the tops of the nearby trees. The crowd was silent as Winry took Ed's hands firmly in her own. Surprisingly, he didn't look nervous at all anymore. He wore a resolute, calm smile. That was enough of a confirmation for her, though he went on with the proper protocol anyway.

Her feet shifted in the grass as she followed suit, repeating the words and brightly grinning back.

Feeling as though she could float away as her veil was swept back and her lips met his.


	13. Missing

_(1915)_

The dirt roads were all long and straight here - not like the twisted streets of far-off cities. He ran his hand along the familiar, worn stone wall. He wasn't sure who had built it - it had just always been there, following the course of the road.

Al was grinning as they continued their walk, silently.

There it was, at the top of the slope: a big, yellow house with green trim, flanked by scrubby trees, newer telephone wires and white picket fence. A small garden with sprigs of growing tomato plants. There was an old barn-swallow nest beneath one of the eaves of the house - he hadn't noticed that before.

Some days, smoke billowed from one or more of the chimneys - signaling that someone was working on automail. The Rockbell sign out front was fading a bit.

Ed breathed in the cool air- he didn't really mind the smell of woodsmoke and cows and pastures all _that _much.

They continued with their unsteady gait, picking up the pace, slightly. It felt like things were all falling into place, now.

Gran would be smoking away at her pipe and Winry would be there, working at some new model and complaining about the alloys, and Den would start barking and the kitchen downstairs would be filled with the scents of baking…

He'd spent so many years always leaving. Always wanting to be someplace else. Always too busy to really consider it.

Now, though… He was finally home.


	14. Crumble

_(1918) According to the new Official Guide, Ed and Winry have their son in 1918, a year after they married._

* * *

><p>It had been a terribly long day. (As well as somewhat terrifying.) Winry had insisted they spend the last week or two in Resembool, as it was inexpensive and her grandmother was more than qualified to take care of such a thing.<p>

Of course, the day it happened, (or, rather, early morning) everything went by in a blur. He'd sat by her, smoothing her hair away from her face as it contorted in pain and she'd gripped his hand to the point that he was sure his bones were near breaking. She'd yelled at him, too, biting her lip until it bled and tears rolled down her cheeks. Then she was silent for a while, save for her chest rising and falling with each breath as he dabbed away at her sweaty forehead and neck with a damp cloth.

And he was scared. So very scared. Even though a voice in the back of his mind reminded him that it wasn't something he should be so nervous about. But the mere thought of even losing her at all was absolutely unbearable. She had always been there. What would he do, then?

He blocked it away from his mind and focused on the task at hand.

Suddenly it was over - far sooner than he'd expected it to be. Winry was fine, although utterly exhausted. Her grandmother happily exclaimed that they had a fine, healthy son - with strong lungs to boot - soon passing the tiny, loudly crying bundle over to his mother. (And telling Ed to take a break, for goodness sake, because he looked downright sickly.)

Ed made it out to the hallway where he sat on the stairs, recalling doing the same, at least a decade or so earlier, as a child. And something inside him crumbled.

Maybe it was a wall that he'd kept up since that time. (He definitely had a few too many walls.)

But he sat on the stairs and _sobbed_. For a long while.

Choking on tears until his younger brother, curious, left the living room and came up the steps to join him, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

Somehow, Ed didn't really care that Al saw, and he laughed unsteadily, sniffling - and then they were both laughing and crying.

Al helped him onto his feet and back to the room where the rest of his family waited.

The woman who had taken Ed and his brother in and saved Ed's life and who had always made her home theirs, and his little brother - his amazing, brave brother whom he would do absolutely anything for, and Winry, who was smiling at him through her own tears and she was just… everything. He loved her so much that it left an almost painful ache in his chest. And their son, now, whom he felt absolutely awe-struck over - nearly setting off another tidal-wave of emotions within him. Protection and pride and happiness swelling.

But, overall, love.


	15. Linger

_(Set post-manga.)_

* * *

><p>He had a call waiting and another two stacks of paperwork to complete. It was remarkable that he'd had enough self-control to not snap his pen in two from frustration.<p>

Roy glared at the grinning young man standing in front of his desk.

"What do you want, Elric? If this is about those kids of yours, again…" He grumbled.

If possible, Ed's grin only grew wider. (And more alarming.)

"Oh, come on. Stop being such a stick in the mud. My kids are cute as hell!" Ed insisted, suddenly waving a fistful of glossy prints of the blonde terrors in front of Roy's nose.

"Well, I'll say one thing," Roy muttered, "I _do _closely associate the brats with hell."

"Now you're just being an asshole." Ed huffed.

"I'm a General now, Elric. Call me an asshole again and I'll…"

"What? What are you going to do? You're not my superior, anymore. Haven't been for years!"

"I'M WARNING YOU…"

Riza glanced up from her own paperwork over at the two arguing men, half considering breaking up the fight. She decided to give it another minute or two for nostalgia's sake.


	16. Hope

Ed grumbled throughout the entire process, (Winry supervising) mixing and rolling the dough, messily adding the preserves and pinching down the edges of the crust. It wasn't until a short while later, as the scent wafted throughout the house and he pulled the finished product from the oven, that he seemed satisfied.

"Y'know." He said to Winry, blowing air to cool a forkful of pie, "Cooking and baking aren't all that bad - it's pretty much alchemy. Combining varying reactants together and applying energy to come up with a single product of equal value. Equivalent exchange!"

Winry patted his arm (a tad bemusedly) "There's hope for you yet."


	17. Explode

_(1917)_

* * *

><p>Ed pulled at her hand and she tried to catch her breath as they both ran up a deserted alley.<p>

She could still hear voices angrily shouting in Cretan behind them, but they soon faded.

They stopped to rest, and Ed suddenly grinned at her, "That… was damn amazing, Winry, taking out the gaskets in their cars like that." He said breathlessly.

"Well it was just a matter of making sure the oil levels were low enough." She waved a hand like it was nothing. (Though, in truth, she wasn't quite used to working with foreign machinery.)

She stopped for a moment, then rounded on Ed. "Don't think you're getting out of this, though! This _was_ supposed to be a pleasant vacation. A honeymoon! How does a run-in with _mobsters_ figure into the plan? Can't you EVER stay out of trouble, Ed?" She angrily brushed at the smudged grease on her dress. It was definitely not going to wash out.

Ed merely laughed, pulling her close.

"When we get back to the hotel you are in _SERIOUS TROUBLE_, EDWARD ELRIC. I'll…"

Then they were kissing.

Fireworks on the other side of the bay began blooming in the darkening sky, reflecting across the water.

Perhaps a little trouble wasn't so bad.


	18. Crest

_(Set post manga, about 50 years later.)_

* * *

><p>"Now, Ed, this will be over and done with before you know it." She said, adjusting his tie.<p>

"I don't need any damn Amestrian Medal of Valour and I've never wanted one, Winry." Ed grumbled.

"You sound like a grumpy old man."


	19. Murmur

_(Set post-manga)_

* * *

><p>They were murmuring again.<p>

Al glanced up from the pages of his book to look at the two, sitting on the couch.

Winry was scribbling down notes as she flipped through a book of her own - the latest edition of a mechanical journal. Ed, apparently curious, leaned over, resting his chin on her shoulder. His head bumped against hers and she softly laughed, shifting closer so he could see what she was writing.

She slipped an arm around him, hand trailing up his back to tug at his ponytail…

Al shook his head, directing his eyes back to the book in front of him. After another minute or so of re-reading the same paragraph, unable to focus, he stood and quickly left the room.

Maybe he would go take Den for a nice, long walk.


	20. Wire

_(1918)_

* * *

><p>His older brother's voice sounded tinny and distant through the telephone reciever, but it was still a pleasant surprise to hear it all the same.<p>

"Brother! Wow, you rarely ever call!" Al grinned, turning to Mei, sitting next to him in an office chair, and pointing at the telephone, excitedly whispering, "It's Ed!"

Mei, in response, snorted half-amusedly into the tea she held.

"I do too!" Ed retorted, "It's just damn expensive to rack up your phone bill for a call to a foreign country!"

"It's not really _that _impractical, Ed. It wouldn't hurt to call more often." Winry's voice said from the background.

"Sorry." Al laughed. It was wonderful to hear their voices, again, regardless. "Ling's letting us use one of his telephones… Speaking of which, guess what?" he asked excitedly, "I can barely believe it, myself, but, because of all of the work I've already helped with over the past couple of years, I may get a position here!"

"That's awesome, Al!" Ed's voice faltered momentarily, "I guess that means you'll be spending more time over there, then?"

"Well," Al went on, "Mei is going to be visiting with some ministers as diplomat, so we'll probably be going back and forth between Amestris and Xing a lot more, actually."

"So you'll have time to stop by during the winter holidays to see your new niece or nephew, right?" Ed asked.

"I guess so." Al replied automatically, mentally going over a calendar, and then followed it with a "Wait, what?"

"What's going on?" Mei asked curiously at hearing his surprised tone, setting aside her tea and leaning forward. Xiao Mei, upon her lap, raised her head in equal curiosity.

Over the line, Ed laughed in what seemed to be half-embarrassment, half pride, "Y-yeah. Winry and I are gonna have a kid. You'll be an uncle!"

Mei frowned at Al's sudden stunned expression. "What is it, Alphonse?", she asked yet again.

"I think Ed just said I'm going to be an uncle." Al relayed to her, after a moment.

"Who's an uncle?" Ling asked, poking his head into the office.

"They're going to have babies?" Mei squeaked, her eyes lighting up.

"I didn't think the bean had it in him." Lan Fan muttered caustically, following Ling's suit.

"That's not very nice, Lan Fan." Ling said.


	21. Expectations

_(1918)_

Her back was aching, but she was almost done with the knee joint she was adjusting. Winry found herself grudgingly pleased, once again, that she had taken Ed's suggestion of lessening her workload earlier on in the year. She had intended to do it anyway, but this was much easier - even if it meant less business. He had halted his travel plans for the past couple of months, as well.

Ed's footsteps were thumping up the stairs to their flat above the shop, and she rose to meet him at the door, surprising him with a kiss as he entered.

He shifted his bag of groceries to one arm so he could wrap the other around her, "Well, good afternoon to you, too." His gaze then drifted to the kitchen table where she had been working and he rolled his eyes. "Jeez, Winry. You're not over-exerting yourself, are you? I told you to be careful…"

Winry poked her husband's arm, "NO, Ed. It's just a little adjustment work for a client. I figured it would be easier to do here than downstairs in the workshop. Besides, the baby isn't due for another few weeks. Stop being such a worrywart!" She rubbed a hand over her swollen belly. "I am being careful."

Ed brought her close, pecking her forehead, "I know you are. Sorry."

She kicked off her slippers and circled her arms around his neck, "I am pretty ready for a break, though." She smiled up at him. "Maybe for the rest of the afternoon."

He didn't take much persuasion.

After a while, they lay lazily cuddling side by side on the couch in the next room. Ed sighed contentedly and then laughed when Winry started fussing over a loose button on his disheveled shirt. She silenced him with more kissing, however.

Thunder rumbled outside and Winry nuzzled against Ed, watching the cloudy sky out the window. "Looks like Rush Valley's rainy season is finally here."

"Yeah." Ed yawned, "My leg's been acting up and it's been gloomy all day."

"It always reminds me of the first time we visited this town." Winry said, shifting into a more comfortable position.

It seemed that he had been recalling the same thing, "Gosh, it's been… how many years?"

"About four or five, I think…" Winry said. "Little Sebastian LeCoulte is in his first year of school, now, you know."

"In another five, our own kid will probably be going to that school." Ed scrubbed a hand across his face. "Damn. I'm getting old."

Winry snorted and tugged at his cowlick, "You're not _that_ old, dummy." She shifted uncomfortably again.

"You all right?" Ed asked.

Winry smiled, "I'm fine. Really, Ed. The baby's just kicking up a storm."

Ed's frown slowly changed to a wide grin as Winry placed his hands atop her stomach to feel.

"That is going to be one energetic kid." He laughed.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Winry grumbled slightly, though she couldn't help but smile. She kissed Ed's cheek, snuggling into his side as best as she could.

"We really ought to decide on a name soon, Ed."

He kissed her back on the nose, then, after a moment, her lips. "I thought we'd settled on, like, Alice or Theo or something. Still wouldn't mind Maximilian, though…" He muttered under his breath.

"No way in hell." Winry said firmly.

"Worth a try. Again." Ed sighed. "Do you… D'you think that we'll be okay? As parents, I mean?" He asked. "It's just… We both didn't really have any of our own for a while and we both dropped out of school and…"

"True." Winry said, "But there were plenty of other people that helped us along the way and we've made it this far. I own my own automail shop and you're a leading expert in the study of alchemy. I've told you before - don't worry too much, Ed. We might not be perfect, but we'll try our best."

"Yeah." He agreed after a moment, relaxing. "We'll try our best."

Winry wrapped her arms around him, "You _could_ probably work on your cooking a little more, though."


	22. Dance

_(Set post-manga.) Wrote this a little quickly, so I'm sorry for any mistakes._

* * *

><p>She nervously straightened her rose-colored dress for the fifth or sixth time, feeling just a little uneasy - even in spite of the sip or two of whiskey she'd snuck from Gran's liquor cabinet.<p>

Winry took one last glance in the mirror, grabbed her bag, and made her way downstairs in a rush, hoping to leave the house as quickly as possible and wondering just what had possessed her to accept the invitation to the dance with Ed.

It wasn't that she didn't want to go with him! In fact, she'd been quite thrilled about it - and surprised that he'd worked up the courage to ask. (She had considered asking him herself, though she hadn't quite worked up her own courage to do so.)

It was just that her every nerve was on edge.

She made it to the base of the stairs, taking a moment to breathe before entering the room.

Ed was already waiting there, scowling, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his neatly-tailored suit. The scowl lessened when he glimpsed her, however.

Winry took another deep breath and hurried over to join him.

"You look kind of snazzy in that suit, Ed." She gave him a small smile.

"Thanks. Uh. You too." He replied. "I mean. You look nice, too. In that dress." He corrected himself. His gaze remained fixed upon her.

Al, sitting on the couch reading, snickered and Ed flung a pillow at his head.

"Well." Ed swiftly strode out the door. "Let's get going."

"Have fun!" Al called after them.

It took a moment for Winry to catch up with Ed, half-running to meet him down at the main road. "Ed! Slow down, will you?" She paused to catch her breath.

He stopped, scuffing his toe into the dirt road bashfully. "S-sorry."

They stood in silence for a few awkward seconds before Ed held out his arm, face squeezing into an utterly ridiculous expression.

"Come on."

Winry took his arm without a word and the two walked on together.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the community hall, squeezing and jostling past the crowds at the entrance - trying very hard to avoid elbows and stepped-on toes.

"Damn." Ed grumbled, clinging to her hand as though he was afraid she'd be lost in the fray, "Didn't think it would be so packed."

"Well, we can still try to enjoy it!" Winry said optimistically over the ruckus.

After half an hour of standing off to the side of the dance floor, her optimism had fallen rather drastically.

Ed had spent a good amount of the time glaring at the people who bumped him while walking by. (In particular a young man who had attended their same class, years ago, though he now had a square jaw, square shoulders and, unfortunately, a height that surpassed Ed's. (Though Ed _had_ grown some - much to Winry's satisfaction.)

The air was stifling and it was almost too crowded to even dance.

Ed clutched his punch glass, nudging Winry. "Did you want to or not?" He asked.

"Want to what, Ed?" She glanced up at him, though she was quite aware of what he was referring to.

"Y'know… Dance. I guess." He said.

Winry looked out over the assembly and sighed. "Maybe later when it's less crowded. I don't know."

Ed shrugged, "Fine. Never much cared for social events like this with tons of people."

Winry turned to him, hands on hips. "What are you talking about? This was your idea in the first place!"

"I only chose it because I thought you'd like it!" Ed huffed, "Don't you like dances and stuff?"

"I… They're not _awful_, but they're not all that wonderful, either." Winry frowned, "I do like going with you, though." She admitted a bit quietly.

He blushed.

In truth, she didn't much care for dances. She wasn't terribly put off by crowds - she could handle them well enough while working, and the hustle and bustle of big cities like Central could be exciting. It was just that events like these had entirely different atmospheres.

She did have a few acquaintances here, but she would much rather be talking late into the night with Ed and Al, telling goofy stories over books and biscuits and falling asleep on the couch, cuddling with Den. Maybe relaxing comfortably in a little shop in Rush Valley, drinking tea and arguing about the best types of automail plating with Garfiel and Paninya…

She felt uncomfortable in her dress and tight shoes - and at some of the looks she'd gotten.

Winry grasped Ed's hand. "Hey, Ed? I think we should go."

He followed her outside and they made their way up the road, avoiding the parties coming and going, the light spilling out from the windows and doorways fading as they went on.

She stopped by a small brook to rest her feet, sitting down upon the bridge. Ed joined her, scratching at the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"I… I'm sorry, Winry. That… was a pretty awful idea, wasn't it?"

"It's not your fault." She smiled reassuringly. "Anyway, there's still the Sheep Festival coming up in a month, I guess! And that's always fun!"

He laughed, leaning back on his elbows.

For a little while, they were quiet, watching as the stars appeared overhead, the moonlight illuminating the rolling hills and pastures.

"I only regret…" Winry ventured, "that we didn't really get a chance to dance, I suppose."

"Well…" Ed slowly stood and held out a hand, his face growing red, "Why not right here?" A faint, waltz-like song had started up from the hall below.

She hesitated briefly, but then took it, circling an arm around his shoulder. His hand rested lightly at her waist.

They moved to the music and Winry suddenly found herself giggling.

"What is it?" Ed asked, attempting to keep up with the beats, brows knitting in concentration.

"You're a little off, Ed."

"What? No I'm not!"

"I suppose I should just be glad you're not stepping on my toes." Winry said under her breath.

Ed chose to ignore her comment.

The music went on and, by the end of the song, Winry was a little surprised to find that they had long since stopped and her arms had wrapped around him tightly, and that he, too, was holding her closely. She was also surprised to discover that she felt quite comfortable with it.

"Thank you, Ed. For asking me." Winry murmured.

He nodded, pulling away a bit. Though he did keep an arm around her. "Let's go home." He said softly.

"We can have some hot chocolate and maybe play a few rounds of poker." She suggested as they walked.

Ed grinned, "Sounds like a plan!"

"I am totally going to win that 800 cenz back." Winry said.


	23. Sleepless Nights

_(Done for the Cunnilingus and Chocolate Fanfest on LJ)_

**(Rated M)**

* * *

><p>Winry rolled over on the mattress, listening to the clock ticking in the hall and the distant barking of a dog somewhere in the streets of Rush Valley.<p>

It was the middle of summer, and, although she wasn't sweating much, the temperature was still unbearably uncomfortable.

She rolled again, twisting the sheets until she finally kicked them off in frustration. Ed, next to her, twitched awake, sitting up and blearily blinking away his sleep.

"Winry?"

Reaching over, she pulled him back down into his pillows."It's nothing. I'm sorry I woke you up."

Ed frowned, clearly not convinced. He inched out a shy hand, trailing his fingers along her arm, and, just with that, Winry could feel her grumpyness dissipating slightly, the corner of her mouth rising in a smile.

"It's not quite as easy for me to sleep, now." She said finally, drawing closer to him.

He sat up once more, leaning toward her, letting his fingers lightly drift down from her arm to the swell of her stomach, which was beginning to show much more now. They were expecting in about five months. Ed had just barely returned from a third trip out west and, although he had been fussing over her nonstop, she was still glad to have him home.

Slowly, Ed kissed her cheek, then her chin, before moving to her lips, the two of them lazily kissing, lingering at each others' mouths as the heat grew between them.

"Should we?" Winry asked a little breathlessly, meeting his eyes above her.

"Yeah." He smiled and his lips met hers once again.

Tongues swept against each other, hot, wet and soft, entwining and pushing until they had to break free for more air. Winry circled an arm around his bare back, making a slight noise when he grazed her breast through the fabric of her nightshirt. With a quick motion, she slipped out of it and his thumbs began pinching at her nipples. She let out a stifled whimper at the sensations, feeling the sudden, pleasant tingling between her legs in conjunction with it.

Through her fuzzy thoughts, she fumbled at the drawstring of Ed's shorts, but he gently stopped her, the two of them pausing to look at each other, focusing.

"I… Uh." He looked away from her. "Could we try something kinda different?"

Winry raised a dubious brow, trying to ignore the pounding in her chest. "I… guess so."

Ed returned to her mouth, then her neck and down to her breasts. She felt her spine curving upward to meet him as he traveled further, over her belly, which he tenderly kissed, and her abdomen and her thighs…

Hot breath against her opening.

They hadn't really done this much before. They'd only been married for a little over a year, and about half of that time Ed had been gone on trips.

Winry shivered in anticipation.

Drew a shuddering gasp as she felt his tongue move over her labia, delving in between them. He grasped her knees, pressing further into her, his lips pulling at her sensitive skin.

"Oh… Wow." This was even better than it had been before. She let out a pleased sigh which quickly turned into a gasp as he nibbled at her.

Soon she was moaning, a hand at her own breast and one tangled in Ed's hair. Hips quivering, along with her thighs. He gave a small groan of his own, humming at her clit, and she felt herself slip over the edge, clenching at the side of the bed, body trembling with waves of pleasure.

After another hour or so, they eventually collapsed exhaustedly, side by side. Winry buried her face into Ed's shoulder and he embraced her, arms circling around her - Winry returned the gesture.

"I love you, Ed." She smiled at him, feeling emotions bubbling deep within her, and slight butterflies. "I'm _so happy _you're back."

His shoulders hunched slightly in embarrassment, but he smiled back at her, "I love you, too, Winry. So much. I missed you."

Winry squeezed him closer, wishing that she could hug him even tighter.

"Think you can sleep a little better, now?" Ed murmured into her hair against her forehead and she nodded, just as she felt the tiredness settling into her limbs.

She kissed him once more, sleepily, and they drifted off together into the warm summer night.


End file.
